Share this with

Skeletons from the site of the graveyard of the Bethlehem, or Bedlam, hospital next to Liverpool Street Station (Picture: Reuters)

It is a mammoth construction project that will improve transport links for generations of Londoners.

But engineers digging tunnels for Crossrail have unearthed a series of artifacts that suggest people lived and worked near the capital up to 9,000 years ago.

A ‘tool-making factory’ was discovered at a tunnelling site at North Woolwich in the city’s south-east. More than 150 pieces of flint and blades were found at the workshop suggesting the area was being resettled by nomadic hunter-gatherers.

‘This is a unique and exciting find that reveals evidence of humans returning to England, and in particular the Thames Valley, after a long hiatus during the ice age,’ said Crossrail’s lead archaeologist Jay Carver.

At Liverpool Street Station, archaeologists have also found a 16th century gold coin used as a sequin or pendant, similar to those worn by aristocrats and royalty. Other finds at the station include a burial ground for the Bedlam asylum dating back to the 1500s and a Roman road that contains bone fragments.

In this Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013 photo, a gold mezzo-zecchino coin minted in Venice around 1501-1521, during the elected reign of Doge Leonardo Leordano, that was discovered during the building of the new hi-speed rail line, is shown to the media in London. Jewelry, pieces of ships, medieval ice skates, centuries-old skulls _ some incredible pieces of London’s history aren’t in museums, they’re underground. More often than not, they stay there, but work on a new railway line under the British capital is bringing centuries of that buried history to light. The 118-kilometer (73-mile) Crossrail line is Britain’s biggest construction project and the largest archaeological dig in London for decades. In the city’s busy business core, archaeologists have struck pay dirt, uncovering everything from a chunk of Roman road to dozens of 2,000-year-old horseshoes, some golden 17th-century bling _ and the bones of long-dead Londoners. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

An archaeologist digs out a skull from the site of the graveyard of the Bethlehem, or Bedlam, hospital next to Liverpool Street Station in the City of London, August 7, 2013. The dig is on the site of the future ticket hall for the Crossrail station at Liverpool Street. Archaeologists have a window of time to dig through parts of London’s first municipal graveyard from the 16 and 17th century; and through to the Roman ruins beneath; before the site is handed back to contractors building the ticket hall for the Crossrail station. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

In this Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013 photo, bones and and artefacts are uncovered by archaeologists digs on a site near London’s Liverpool Street railway and tube station during the building of the new hi-speed rail line, during a media visit in London. Commuters scuttling past London’s Liverpool Street rail and subway station this week were unaware that just feet away, archaeologists were gently unearthing the centuries-old bones of some previous Londoners. Jewelry, pieces of ships, medieval ice skates, centuries-old skulls _ some incredible pieces of London’s history aren’t in museums, they’re underground. More often than not, they stay there, but work on a new railway line under the British capital is bringing centuries of that buried history to light. The 118-kilometer (73-mile) Crossrail line is Britain’s biggest construction project and the largest archaeological dig in London for decades. In the city’s busy business core, archaeologists have struck pay dirt, uncovering everything from a chunk of Roman road to dozens of 2,000-year-old horseshoes, some golden 17th-century bling _ and the bones of long-dead Londoners. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

An archaeologist digs out skeletons from the site of the graveyard of the Bethlehem, or Bedlam, hospital next to Liverpool Street Station in the City of London, August 7, 2013. The dig is on the site of the future ticket hall for the Crossrail station at Liverpool Street. Archaeologists have a window of time to dig through parts of London’s first municipal graveyard from the 16 and 17th century; and through to the Roman ruins beneath; before the site is handed back to contractors building the ticket hall for the Crossrail station. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

Archaeologists dig out skeletons from the site of the graveyard of the Bethlehem, or Bedlam, hospital next to Liverpool Street Station in the City of London, August 7, 2013. The dig is on the site of the future ticket hall for the Crossrail station at Liverpool Street. Archaeologists have a window of time to dig through parts of London’s first municipal graveyard from the 16 and 17th century; and through to the Roman ruins beneath; before the site is handed back to contractors building the ticket hall for the Crossrail station. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

An archaeologist digs out skeletons from the site of the graveyard of the Bethlehem, or Bedlam, hospital next to Liverpool Street Station in the City of London, August 7, 2013. The dig is on the site of the future ticket hall for the Crossrail station at Liverpool Street. Archaeologists have a window of time to dig through parts of London’s first municipal graveyard from the 16 and 17th century; and through to the Roman ruins beneath; before the site is handed back to contractors building the ticket hall for the Crossrail station. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

An archaeologist displays Roman Sestertius brass coin from around AD 30 with an image of the Emperor Hadrian which was dug out from the Crossrail site next to Liverpool Street Station in the City of London, August 7, 2013. The dig is on the site of the future ticket hall for the Crossrail station at Liverpool Street. Archaeologists have a window of time to dig through parts of London’s first municipal graveyard from the 16 and 17th century; and through to the Roman ruins beneath; before the site is handed back to contractors building the ticket hall for the Crossrail station. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

An archaeologist displays a 16th century Venetian gold coin, perforated to be worn as jewellery, which was dug out from the Crossrail site next to Liverpool Street Station in the City of London, August 7, 2013. The dig is on the site of the future ticket hall for the Crossrail station at Liverpool Street. Archaeologists have a window of time to dig through parts of London’s first municipal graveyard from the 16 and 17th century; and through to the Roman ruins beneath; before the site is handed back to contractors building the ticket hall for the Crossrail station. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

Undated handout photo issued by Crossrail of Archaeologist Matt Ginnever at Liverpool Street station uncovering layers of London’s history including the 16th century Bedlam burial ground and Roman remains. Evidence of how Londoners lived 9,000 years ago has been unearthed during work on the capital’s Crossrail scheme. A “tool-making factory” including 150 pieces of flint from the Mesolithic Age has been found at Crossrail’s tunnelling worksite in North Woolwich in south London. Crossrail/PA Wire

Undated handout photo issued by Crossrail of Archaeologist’s finds at Broadgate ticket hall, Liverpool Street station as they have been uncovering layers of London’s history including the 16th century Bedlam burial ground and Roman remains. Evidence of how Londoners lived 9,000 years ago has been unearthed during work on the capital’s Crossrail scheme. A “tool-making factory” including 150 pieces of flint from the Mesolithic Age has been found at Crossrail’s tunnelling worksite in North Woolwich in south London. Crossrail/PA Wire

A handout photograph released by Crossrail on 08 August 2013 showing archeologist Mike Tunnicliffe at work at the Mesolithic ëtool-making factoryí on the North Woolwich Crossrail site, south east London, 07 August 2013. Crossrail archaeologists have discovered rare evidence of humans living on the Thames river 9,000 year ago, in southeast London. The Crossrail route will pass through 37 stations and run 118 km (73 miles) from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km (13 miles) tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. When Crossrail opens it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent. Crossrail services are due to commence through central London in 2018. EPA/CROSSRAIL / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Undated handout photo issued by Crossrail of Roman horse shoes found at Liverpool Street station as Archaeologists have been uncovering layers of London’s history including the 16th century Bedlam burial ground and Roman remains. Evidence of how Londoners lived 9,000 years ago has been unearthed during work on the capital’s Crossrail scheme. A “tool-making factory” including 150 pieces of flint from the Mesolithic Age has been found at Crossrail’s tunnelling worksite in North Woolwich in south London. Crossrail/PA Wire

A handout photograph released by Crossrail on 08 August 2013 showing archeologist Danny Harrison at work at the Mesolithic ëtool-making factoryí on the North Woolwich Crossrail site, south east London, 07 August 2013. Crossrail archaeologists have discovered rare evidence of humans living on the Thames river 9,000 year ago, in southeast London. The Crossrail route will pass through 37 stations and run 118 km (73 miles) from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km (13 miles) tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. When Crossrail opens it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent. Crossrail services are due to commence through central London in 2018. EPA/CROSSRAIL / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

A handout photograph released by Crossrail on 08 August 2013 showing archeologist Matt Ginnever at work Broadgate ticket hall excavtions, Liverpool Street, central London, 07 August 2013. Crossrail archaeologists have discovered rare evidence of humans living on the Thames river 9,000 year ago, in southeast London. The Crossrail route will pass through 37 stations and run 118 km (73 miles) from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km (13 miles) tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. When Crossrail opens it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent. Crossrail services are due to commence through central London in 2018. EPA/CROSSRAIL / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

A handout photograph released by Crossrail on 08 August 2013 showing archeologist Rob Hartle at work at the Liverpool Street Crossrail site, central London, 07 August 2013. Crossrail archaeologists have discovered rare evidence of humans living on the Thames river 9,000 year ago, in southeast London. The Crossrail route will pass through 37 stations and run 118 km (73 miles) from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km (13 miles) tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. When Crossrail opens it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent. Crossrail services are due to commence through central London in 2018. EPA/CROSSRAIL / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

A handout photograph released by Crossrail on 08 August 2013 showing Crossrail lead archeologist Jay Carver holding a 16th century gold coin found at the Crossrail Liverpool Street site, central London, 07 August 2013. Crossrail archaeologists have discovered rare evidence of humans living on the Thames river 9,000 year ago, in southeast London. The Crossrail route will pass through 37 stations and run 118 km (73 miles) from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km (13 miles) tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. When Crossrail opens it will increase London’s rail-based transport network capacity by 10 per cent. Crossrail services are due to commence through central London in 2018. EPA/CROSSRAIL / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

In this Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013 photo, a member of the the archaeological team from the Museum of London points to the present day position of London’s Liverpool Street Station on a 16th century map of the city as a media visit is made to a dig on the construction site of a new rail line rail line in London. Jewelry, pieces of ships, medieval ice skates, centuries-old skulls _ some incredible pieces of London’s history aren’t in museums, they’re underground. More often than not, they stay there, but work on a new railway line under the British capital is bringing centuries of that buried history to light. The 118-kilometer (73-mile) Crossrail line is Britain’s biggest construction project and the largest archaeological dig in London for decades. In the city’s busy business core, archaeologists have struck pay dirt, uncovering everything from a chunk of Roman road to dozens of 2,000-year-old horseshoes, some golden 17th-century bling _ and the bones of long-dead Londoners. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Museum of London archaeologist Nick Elsden, who is helping to oversee excavations, said: ‘Everyone’s been running around in Liverpool Street for years and not thinking that they’ve been walking around on bodies from one of the densest burial grounds in London. This site is a rare, perhaps unprecedented opportunity.

Advertisement

Advertisement

‘This is a major roadway outside one of London’s busiest railway stations. You don’t get to dig that up normally.’

The £15billion Crossrail line will run from east to west London with a central 21km (13-mile) underground section when it opens in 2018.

Tunnelling has taken place beneath some of the city’s oldest, most densely populated sections.